Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Greetings of the Season from the Wednesday Hodgepodge-Vol 55

I see Volume 55 and I think AARP and speed limits. Since I can't seem to tie either of those two thoughts into the Hodgepodge today I think we'll just get on with the questions. Be sure to link your own post at the bottom of mine and then go visit some of the friends and neighbors who have also played along today. Here we go-

1. Do you send Christmas cards? If so, about how many will you send this year? How do you display the cards you receive? Or don't you? (gasp!)

Definitely. I love Christmas cards, both the sending and the receiving. I especially love the cards with a photo enclosed. Our friends and family are scattered far and wide so I enjoy seeing how everyone has grown up during the year. I'm not a letter hater either so go ahead and brag on your kids to me because I truly don't mind. Call me nosy or call me curious or maybe just call me a blogger.

I have a cute little card holder I keep on my kitchen desk and that's where the opened cards go. I'd like to do one of the cute displays I've seen on Pinterest but haven't had a chance yet. We send roughly 100 cards and receive about the same.

2. When do kids become adults?

Interesting. My girls are in their early 20's so I guess they're adults. Okay yes, they're adults. Sigh. Sometimes I like to pretend they're still 8 and 10. I'm a mother, what can I say? My girls are independent, thoughtful, compassionate women I am proud to know.

I'm not sure chronological age is always an accurate measure of adult-ness. I know plenty of people who left their 20's behind a long time ago yet they still manage to have lots of growing up to do. I think we reach adulthood, hopefully in our late teens and early 20's, but the process is started much earlier. We need our parents to be parents and nudge us in that direction all along the rocky road to being a grown up.

Its not easy making your babies stand on their own two feet when what you'd really like to do is swoop in and make their way easy, but how are they to become adults if we don't let them test the waters? Have confidence in the children you've raised (staying on your knees doesn't hurt either).

Did you come here for advice today? Sorry-it just kinda spilled out onto the page.

3. Does your 'beauty regimen' change with the seasons?

How many people do you think will begin their answer to this question with the phrase-"Beauty regimen? What beauty regimen?" More than a few I suspect.I guess the biggest change for me is in hydration...winter means slathering myself in lotion a couple of times a day and upping the moisturizer on my face because the indoor heat tends to really dry out my skin. I also apply lip gloss in abundance because chapped lips=ewww.

4. What's something you like to eat that might cause another person to turn up their nose?

I love picking crabs and the process does involve a little bit of the gross in that you have to scrape off the lungs and some gooey mush before getting to the good stuff. I also love escargot cooked in a garlic butter sauce, mussels in white wine, and grilled octopus. There are people who turn their noses up at that but I say they don't know what they're missing.

When I was a little girl I went through a phase where I put ketchup on my rice. I don't do that anymore but I know it did kind of disgust my fellow diners.

5. Gloves or Mittens?

Depends on what I'm doing...gloves for winter walks, driving around town and of course for just plain style...mittens for playing in the snow. I can wear either for skiing. Mittens are supposed to keep your hands warmer but I'm a little dorky with a ski pole so for the safety of everyone around me gloves are probably the better option.

6. What's the longest queue you've ever been in? Was it worth it? Queue=line but doesn't queue sound so much nicer?

The longest queue I've ever seen was the one at the entrance to the Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel. Seriously it went for miles. Or kilometers. Whatever-it was long! We were with a tour group going thru the museum and I recommend that to anyone considering a visit. We bypassed the ultra long queue and pretty much went straight in.

The longest queue I've had to stand in was probably outside St. Paul's Cathedral in London on Christmas Eve. You had to get there early in order to get inside and in spite of arriving at a ridiculous hour the line was still wrapped around the block. Was it worth it? It was St. Paul's Cathedral on Christmas Eve...of course it was worth it.

7. Besides Christmas, what is one thing you are looking forward to this December?

Hubs, daughter2 and I will be attending a wedding later this month. We know the bride and her family from our years in the UK. She and daughter2 went all the way from grade 8 thru high school graduation together. They also spent quality time bonding in scouting and Young Life so we definitely want to be there for her big day. Daughter2 is excited because a few friends from high school will also be attending and she hasn't seen any of them since her last Christmas in England which was 2008. I love weddings, even those that fall the weekend before Christmas in a city famous for its crazy snow.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

I mentioned last week that hubs made a deliciously creamy wild rice soup as a starter to our Thanksgiving meal. Several people asked for the recipe so I'm posting the link here-

It came from the November issue of Family Circle magazine and I would definitely make this again-it was wonderful.

Great answers today...I like your take on adulthood. It still drives me nuts my in-laws always call us the kids and treat us like we are 17! Miffs me to no end! Are you heading to UK for wedding!! Love love love England! Have a wonderful Wednesday!

I love Christmas weddings, which is why DH & I married on Dec. 18. Unfortunately, as is usually the case here in southwestern Illinois ... we had ice that evening instead of the snow I was wishing for.

I love the Christmas letters tucked into the Christmas cards. I never did one ... my life isn't exciting enough to fill a full page. (It's really not exciting enough to provide much blog fodder, either, but I'm hooked on blogging!)

I'm with you on #4 (and I have a few more to add to the list ... ones that I KNOW will cause noses to be turned up ... like oysters on the half shell). Although I've never had grilled octopus.

Thanks for hosting, Joyce.I have super dry skin so it makes no difference the season, I'm using lots of lotions and moisturizers. I use a lip balm at night some in the winter and also sometimes use a nasal lubricant. blessings,Mama Bear

Fresh seafood is the best! Whenever I visit the my daughter in Oregon, we made a point to go crabbing, and if time permits, a deep sea fishing charter. I don't have to clean them, but they sure are fun to catch and eat. These trips always include a stop at Mo's--one of the best little seafood cafe's along the west coast.

Linking up for a little mid-week fun. I missed last week because of Thanksgiving. BTW, I'm hosting my first ever promo for free digital scrapbook software. Come by my blog to check it out, along with my answers these fun odgepodge questions ! =D ~Cathy

Oh I am such a crab lover.. It is so much work to get that yummy treat.. I love that soup you made.. My Mom makes one that is amazing also.. It is hard when your children do grow big.. I am still lucky I have little ones and I can't think that they will be in their 20's some day.. Have a great day.. THanks for hosting..

I borrowed your answer about the vatican. Loved the questions this week...and I had a moment of blankness when I typed in my blog name....I have no clue where the Kahkren's Korner came from....griefus!

I bought the clothespins to hang some cards. Funny thing is that 2 years ago I came up with the idea to use clothespins on my dads verticals to hang all his get well cards!Well the description of scraping off the lungs does not sound pretty. A Winter wedding sound lovely. I am going to go check that recipe out. If I ever saw my husband cooking soup at the stove I know I would be in the wrong house!

You send 100 cards?! That´s a lot. I usually send around 40, but this year I¨m not even in the mood for that. I´ll be really cutting it down this year. What I´ve noticed is that fewer and fewer people bother to send international snail mail. Sniff. :(But I do love receiving any kind of Christmas card and display them with pleasure.

I didn’t participate this week because I needed to get those wedding pictures up! But I did include your link at the bottom so that people could come over if they wanted to and don’t already know about your hop!

I do send out Christmas cards every year. I always send out a photo and a ‘newsy’ letter too. I send out about the same amount that y’all do. I hang mine up around doors---kind of like Christmas card garland inside! LOL

Oh wait. Now that I’ve read the second question, I might be glad I didn’t participate! That’s a toughie! But I do like what you had to say.

Beauty regimen? All I use, or have ever used, on my face is water. And I use just as much lotion in the winter as in the summer so I guess nothing changes here.

Can’t think of an answer to number 4 because I’m usually the one turning up my nose. LOL I do still put ketchup on my scrambled eggs.

Sometimes gloves, sometimes mittens!Ha! The line to check out at Michael’s this morning!

You know this answer! The lovelies will all be home!

My random thought is…um…..ah….I have so much to do I can’t get started!

Crabs. (BLECH!) LOL!!Just reading your description reminds me of watching folks eat crawfish, which is so popular here. Since I'm originally an Oklahoma girl I didn't grow up eating much sea food. I'm a "beans & taters" kind of girl!